Keep The Courage and Saragarhi are proving tough to split for Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler in tomorrow's $25,000 Amberley Cup at Riccarton.
The two gallopers take on six other rivals over 1600m tomorrow. Several entrants are likely to head on to the $100,000 Winter Cup at the same venue in early August.
The Tyler-trained pair are among the 57 nominations for the group 3 1600m to be run on August 2.
Neither Tyler nor stable jockey Rebecca Black could decide which horse to ride tomorrow, but by declarations time, Black was on Saragarhi and veteran jockey David Walsh was down to partner Keep The Courage.
''She couldn't really pick so we tossed a coin and that's what we came up with,'' Tyler said from Christchurch yesterday.
''There's nothing between them - I couldn't really pick one . . .''
Keep The Courage is a $21 chance for the Winter Cup and enjoys Riccarton, having won three times from seven attempts, including a win in early May.
The son of Keeper followed that up with a fourth at the same track on May 30.
''I've kept him a little bit fresher than he was last time as I thought he might have been a bit fat.
''The heavier track might help him as well. He's been well and working really good.''
Saragarhi might not have the record of Keep The Courage, but Tyler was feeling quite bullish about the gelding's chances based on his work and appearance.
''He's probably working the best he's ever worked in his life. He's looking really good and he's still got his summer coat, which is really hard down the bottom of the South Island.
''Honestly, he's a smokey - he'll take some beating.''
Heza Bachelor (race 9) backs up after a tidy win fresh-up at Oamaru on June 8 after a long break due to a bowed tendon.
''I reckon he'll go right to the top barring injury,'' Tyler said.
Tyler rates Indy Ruler as one of the pick of his other four runners, although he was happy with the whole team of seven.
''Indy Ruler has always gone well up here, but they're all working well enough to pay a dividend. Hopefully, we get a bit of luck on the day.''
